Local nonprofit Weathered Hands holds annual care package event for the homeless
Click here for updates on this story
PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) — On Christmas Eve, local nonprofit Weathered Hands held its 19th annual event to create and give out 3,500 care packages for the homeless in Portland.
“There’s a lot of people that care and want to make sure that they’re getting the things that they need to be taken care of the best that they can,” said volunteer Amanda Zahn.
Zahn was out with her family’s softball team Christmas Eve morning putting in some work to help those in need this holiday season.
She says this teaches the players life lessons.
“It’s showing them what else is out there outside of where they live, things that they may not see every day, teaching them how to give back and how to love your community,” Zahn said.
She was one of several volunteers who helped load these care packages for the homeless, equipped with toiletries and food.
Weathered Hands Communication Director Tom Ogden says the annual event is crucial for the growing homeless population in Portland.
“It’s about people that really need it,” Ogden said. “How many people do you see in cars, like they’re one step from being literally on the streets. I mean, it’s one catastrophic thing could put many people that way.”
Ogden says this event every year draws many emotions as they’re on the frontlines seeing the effects of homelessness.
He says any way a person can help another during this season makes a huge difference.
“It’s what are you doing to make the world a little bit better place, even if it’s one day a month one day a year,” Ogden said.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
